


I Need You Here (With Me)

by petrich_r



Category: Produce 101 (TV), Produce X 101 (TV), Produce X 101 - Fandom, UP10TION, X1 (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, M/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-20
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-07-09 12:33:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19887904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petrich_r/pseuds/petrich_r
Summary: After a week of spending time with his family, friends and his members, Kim Wooseok was just about ready to move into dorms he'd be calling home for the next 5 years.Eyes red, face bloated, he falls asleep in the van, only to wake up NOT on the way to the dorms, but with Lee Jinhyuk right next to him, nervously bouncing his leg and attempting to distract himself with conversation.When Wooseok realizes he was thrown back to the first day of Produce Hell, he contemplates just opening the van door and throwing himself out of it.





	I Need You Here (With Me)

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know really, this is more self-fulfillment than anything... with Jinhyuk not having made it 😂 I don't know when I'll really update either, I'm just posting to get a feel for the writing.
> 
> also, this chapter is basically a draft/placeholder right now, should I want to continue this story, I'll definitely add on or redo it. So... don't expect much? hahaha

Wooseok knew, coming on to the show, that there was a chance Jinhyuk wouldn’t make it. The company had made specifically clear though, that he _needed_ to make it into that final group. The group that will result from the final eleven of the latest in the Produce series, Produce X 101.

At that time, when his company had proposed the idea to him, he had no idea what the X was supposed to signify, and thus… neither did Jinhyuk. Maybe their managers did, and the higher ups in the company probably knew…

No, they _definitely_ did. But they had told them not to worry about it, that it was inconsequential in the long run.

* * * * * * * * * * 

_“All you have to worry about is debuting, Wooseok-ah,” his manager explains. “The company’s in a state right now… 100% is preparing to enlist altogether, and despite Teen Top preparing for a comeback… no one knows how well it’s going to go. You making it into that group is our only hope right about now.”_

_Wooseok couldn’t help but fiddle with his hands nervously in his seat. It’s only been a year since he’s come back from his hiatus. He had worked hard ever since he returned, in order to make up to the members and the fans for all the lost time. But despite what he likes to show everyone else, that he was ok and that he was fine now, that whole… issue had really changed him. He had never been the outgoing type, no. But he easily approached people if needed, spoke comfortably, acted freely._

_He acts according to the situation, the environment, and whoever he was interacting with. But after everything, the hate comments, and the year in hiatus, he had almost become a recluse. He kept quiet, spoke up only when prompted, and chose to stay at home more often than go out. The only thing that had kept him from completely going off the grid, to be honest, was his members. Especially…_

_Wooseok shoots up, “Hyung, will I be going alone for this?”_

_His manager raises an eyebrow, “Yeah, we’re supposed to be sending just you. Why? Is there anyone else you think should go?”_

_“Uh…” the brunette licks his lips. “I was just wondering if I could bring Jinhyuk with me…”_

_“Jinhyuk? Really?” both eyebrows go up this time. “I mean, not that I disagree. But why him? I would’ve thought you’d suggest Dongyeol, Minsoo, or even Sunyoul.”_

_“No,” he shakes his head. “Sunyoul is more known, especially after Masked Singer. Minsoo wouldn’t want to join, I remember him saying so himself.”_

_“And Dongyeol?”_

_Wooseok hesitates, “He’d be so popular. I _know_ he’d do well. But I don’t want to make him have to go through a survival program…” _

_His manager gives him a teasing grin, “So what about Jinhyuk then?”_

_“Jinhyuk’s a friend!” he retorts, exhaling a chuckle. “And he’s strong enough to survive the show, you know that. He’s cheerful and hardworking, and he would never give up.”_

_“So in other words, he’s exactly what you need.”_

_Wooseok could only give him pleading eyes. “Please hyung. I’ll still go on the show, but it’ll be so much easier if I have Jinhyuk there with me.”_

_His manager could only sigh, “I’ll see what I can do.”_

* * * * * * * * * * 

But how could it be inconsequential? When now… Now, it was the only thing standing between Jinhyuk, standing on the platform for the trainees, and him and the 11 blue couches around him.

He should have prepared himself better. He should have distanced himself. _Should’ve would’ve could’ve._ But Wooseok doesn’t think that any amount of preparation would’ve been enough for the pain he felt, the heartbreak, when Lee Dongwook announced the X member’s name. And it _wasn’t_ Jinhyuk.

It was like a bullet to the heart. He had said his piece earlier, when he took his place, and he had managed to hold in his tears then. But seeing Jinhyuk cry and apologize for not making it, to his family and to him, he just couldn’t help it. He couldn’t even feel happy for having made it anymore, afterwards. The rest of the filming passes by in a blur to him and he is just going through the motions at this point. Hand shaking, waving, smiling, hugging. He does all these… but he makes sure to find Jinhyuk first, hugging him tightly.

“I’m sorry,” Wooseok whimpers, his eyes starting to well up again. “I’m so sorry. You should’ve made it with me, I don’t know why you didn’t. You worked so hard, Jinhyuk-ah. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s ok,” Jinhyuk whispers, tightening his hold around the smaller boy in his arms. “You deserve it, more than anyone I know. You worked so hard too. Don’t worry about me. Congratulations, yeah? It’s ok.”

After that night, everything became a whirlwind. Immediately after the finale, he is rushed home to his family. Apparently they wanted to have a celebratory dinner with him, despite the late time filming ends, and the company obliges them. Then, after dinner and a night in the comfort of his childhood bed, he is rushed back to the dorms to get ready quickly before he is brought to the Swing Entertainment building. Then it’s just a full day of meetings, discussions and negotiations between Swing, the 11 trainees and their companies. By the time the day is over and he gets home, he doesn’t even have the energy to eat dinner nor find the one person he want to see more than anyone at the moment. He could only take off his jacket and his pants before crashing down onto his bed.

The week goes by like that, being neither here nor there, in the blink of an eye.


End file.
